Escherichia coli has an L-alanine export system that protects the cells from toxic accumulation of intracellular L-alanine in the presence of L-alanyl-L-alanine (L-Ala-L-Ala). When a DadA-deficient strain was incubated with 6.0 mM L-Ala-L-Ala, we detected L-alanine and D-alanine using highperformance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis at a level of 7.0 mM and 3.0 mM, respectively, after 48 h incubation. Treatment of the culture supernatant with D-amino acid oxidase resulted in the disappearance of a signal corresponding to D-alanine. Additionally, the culture supernatant enabled a D-alanine auxotroph to grow without D-alanine supplementation, confirming that the signal detected by HPLC was authentic D-alanine. Upon introduction of an expression vector harbouring the alanine racemase genes, alr or dadX, the extracellular level of Dalanine increased to 11.5 mM and 8. indicate that E. coli has a transport system(s) that exports D-alanine and that this function is most likely modulated by proton electrochemical potential.